The present invention relates to the design of asynchronous circuits and systems. More specifically, the present invention provides techniques for the synthesis and optimization of multi-level domino asynchronous pipelines.
Synchronous design using a global clock is the mainstream design style for VLSI circuits, e.g., ASICs. Implementing this methodology, however, is becoming more difficult as CMOS technology scales into deep sub-micron, and as process spread, leakage power, and wire delays are all on the rise. Consequently, the gap between full-custom and semi-custom performance is increasing, motivating the investigation of alternative methodologies. In particular, asynchronous design has been shown to dramatically improve performance because of the lack of a global clock, the ability to easily borrow time from one pipeline stage to another, and the advantages of domino logic. Moreover, asynchronous design has also demonstrated other potential benefits in terms of low power and reduced electromagnetic interference. These advantages have recently renewed interest in the development of design techniques for high-performance asynchronous circuits. However, the quality or outright lack of appropriate synthesis and optimization tools presents an obstacle to the wide spread application of such techniques.
While several approaches have been proposed for the design automation of asynchronous circuits, few have been successful in realizing the performance benefits promised by asynchronous designs.